Who is Carmen Matarazzo? He is an American stage actor and musician from New Jersey. Many people know him as the younger brother of Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Dustin Henderson in Netflix’s Stranger Things.

But Carmen has built his own career. He has acted in many stage shows and has also played drums in a band. His work includes Sweeney Todd, Spring Awakening, RENT, Hair, and Clue: On Stage.

Music has also been part of his life. He played drums with Work In Progress, a rock band that included Gaten and their sister, Sabrina Matarazzo. His career has stayed close to live theater and music.

Quick Bio

Who Is Carmen Matarazzo?

Carmen is a performer with a background in theater and rock music. His family name became well known after Gaten joined Stranger Things. Still, Carmen followed his own path on stage.

He grew up in New Jersey with his siblings. Gaten Matarazzo is his older brother, while Sabrina Matarazzo is his sister. All three have shown an interest in music and acting.

His public work covers several years. It includes school plays, regional theater, and band shows. That gives a clear view of his career without relying on rumors.

Carmen Matarazzo’s Early Life and School Theater

New Jersey played a big part in his early work. He attended Pinelands Regional High School. Theater became one of his main interests while he was a student there.

He took part in several school productions. His roles included Robertson Ay in Mary Poppins and Professor Plum in Clue: On Stage. He also played Ernst in Spring Awakening.

Other school roles added more range. He played Lucas in The Addams Family and Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music. These shows gave him practice in both drama and musical theater.

The roles were very different from one another. Clue uses quick comedy, while Spring Awakening has a much darker tone. That mix gave Carmen a strong base for later stage work.

Carmen Matarazzo and Gaten Matarazzo

The two brothers share a love of acting and music. Gaten Matarazzo started acting on Broadway before his TV career took off. He later became famous as Dustin in Stranger Things.

Carmen stayed closer to local and regional theater. His work has focused more on stage shows in New Jersey. So their careers have followed different paths.

The brothers also made music together. They were both members of Work In Progress. Sabrina also performed with the group.

That band gave them a way to work as a family. Carmen played drums, while Gaten and Sabrina often handled vocals. It was a different setting from theater, but live performance remained at the center.

Carmen Matarazzo’s Stage Career

Carmen continued acting after his school years. His credits grew through theaters across New Jersey. These roles helped him move beyond student productions.

He did not stay with one type of part. Professor Plum in Clue called for comedy and timing. Spring Awakening asked for more serious acting.

He later returned to Spring Awakening in another role. This time, he played Moritz. He had played Ernst in an earlier version of the show.

Carmen also appeared in Almost, Maine. His credits show steady work in live theater. The pattern is simple: new show, new role, new challenge.

Carmen Matarazzo in Sweeney Todd

One of his best known roles came in February 2023. Carmen played Tobias Ragg in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The show ran at the Levoy Theatre in Millville, New Jersey.

The production opened on February 10, 2023. It closed on February 19. Tobias is a young character who becomes an important part of the story.

The timing made the role more interesting. Gaten was also getting ready to play Tobias in a Broadway version of Sweeney Todd. His Broadway previews began later that same month.

So both brothers played the same role at almost the same time. Carmen performed in New Jersey, while Gaten took the part to Broadway. That is a rare family link, even for two actors.

Carmen Matarazzo’s Music Career

Music has been another major part of his work. Carmen played drums for Work In Progress. The group was formed by young musicians from New Jersey.

The band also included Gaten Matarazzo and Sabrina Matarazzo. Other members included Matt Grayson, Griffin Schriever, and Chad Miller. The group played live shows and released original music.

In July 2019, Work In Progress released two songs. They were called Dream Eater and Waste My Time. The tracks gave the band music of its own beyond live covers.

The group also had a big live moment in June 2018. Members joined Paramore on stage at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. They took part in a performance of Misery Business.

Carmen Matarazzo as a Drummer

Drums gave Carmen another way to perform in front of crowds. Acting and drumming need different skills, but both depend on timing. That link may be one reason he has stayed active in both areas.

With Work In Progress, he worked as part of a full band. The role was less about being the main face and more about holding the music together. For a drummer, that is the job.

The band played more than small local shows. Its members also reached larger venues and wider crowds. The Paramore appearance gave them one of their most seen live moments.

Carmen did not leave theater behind while making music. Instead, both interests ran side by side. That balance has been a clear part of his public career.

From Drums to Larger Stage Roles

His theater work grew after Sweeney Todd. He later appeared as Moritz in Spring Awakening at Algonquin Arts Theatre. That role gave him another strong musical theater credit.

In October 2024, he appeared in Bat Boy: The Musical. He played several parts, including Ron Taylor, Maggie, and Clem. Taking several roles in one show can demand fast changes in voice and movement.

His credits kept growing after that. Carmen was no longer known only for school productions or his family link. He had built a longer list of theater work.

And that list continued into 2025 and 2026. Those later roles showed that acting was still an active part of his life.

What Is Carmen Matarazzo Doing Now?

In August 2025, Carmen played Mark Cohen in RENT. The show was staged by Algonquin Arts Theatre in Manasquan, New Jersey.

Mark is one of the main roles in the musical. He is a filmmaker who watches the lives of his friends change around him. It is a much larger part than a short side role.

The production ran from August 10 to August 18, 2025. Carmen worked with a full cast in one of the best known modern stage musicals.

Then, in August 2026, he appeared in Hair: The American Tribal Love Rock Musical. He played Berger, one of the show’s main characters. The production ran from August 8 to August 16.

Why Is Carmen Matarazzo’s Career Different From Gaten’s?

Gaten became known around the world through TV. His role in Stranger Things brought him a huge audience. He has also kept strong links to Broadway.

Carmen has spent much more time in New Jersey theater. His public credits show school shows, regional productions, and live music. That gives his career a more local stage focus.

Their paths are linked, but they are not the same. Both have played Tobias in Sweeney Todd. Both have also performed in Work In Progress.

Still, Carmen has built a record that stands on its own. Calling him only “Gaten’s brother” leaves out years of stage work. His roles in RENT and Hair make that very clear.

Carmen Matarazzo and Regional Theater

Regional theater has been a steady part of his career. It lets actors work on full shows without the pressure of Broadway or national TV. For many performers, it is where skills grow through real stage time.

Carmen has worked in several New Jersey productions. His roles have covered comedy, drama, and rock musicals. Each show has asked for a different type of performance.

That variety matters. A role like Professor Plum is far from Mark Cohen in RENT. And Berger in Hair has a style of his own.

There is also something practical about his path. He has kept working where live theater is active and close to home. That may not create constant headlines, but it does create real stage credits.

Facts About Carmen Matarazzo

• American stage actor and musician from New Jersey.
• Younger brother of Gaten Matarazzo.
• Brother of Sabrina Matarazzo.
• Graduate of Pinelands Regional High School.
• Drummer for Work In Progress.
• Played Tobias Ragg in Sweeney Todd in February 2023.
• Played Professor Plum in Clue: On Stage.
• Appeared as Ernst in Spring Awakening.
• Later played Moritz in another Spring Awakening production.
• Played Robertson Ay in Mary Poppins.
• Appeared in Almost, Maine.
• Joined Paramore on stage with his siblings in 2018.
• Played Mark Cohen in RENT in August 2025.
• Played Berger in Hair in August 2026.

FAQs

Who is Carmen Matarazzo?

Carmen Matarazzo is an American stage actor and musician from New Jersey. He is also the younger brother of Stranger Things actor Gaten Matarazzo.

How is Carmen Matarazzo related to Gaten Matarazzo?

Carmen is Gaten’s younger brother. Their sister is Sabrina Matarazzo, and all three have performed in music together.

Was Gaten Matarazzo’s brother in Sweeney Todd?

Yes. Carmen played Tobias Ragg in Sweeney Todd at the Levoy Theatre in February 2023. Gaten later played the same role on Broadway.

What instrument does Gaten Matarazzo’s brother play?

He plays drums. He performed as the drummer for Work In Progress, which also included Gaten and Sabrina.

What theater roles has Gaten Matarazzo’s brother played?

His verified roles include Tobias Ragg in Sweeney Todd, Professor Plum in Clue, Moritz in Spring Awakening, Mark Cohen in RENT, and Berger in Hair.